


Untitled

by ice_cream_assassin



Series: californication [2]
Category: Political RPF - UK 20th-21st c.
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-03
Updated: 2012-12-25
Packaged: 2017-11-15 03:15:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/522538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ice_cream_assassin/pseuds/ice_cream_assassin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the "100 is too many" mini-fic party on the meme</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The mobile buzzed against the granite counter top. Steve was already running late for the Saturday morning markets. He had hoped to get there early since he wanted to buy locally raised, organically fed chicken breasts for his chicken paprikash recipe. If he didn’t hurry, he may miss his chance. 

The first time he left for California, he would have answered after the first ring. The caller ID on his phone said that 'Twat 1’ was calling, and Steve was pretty sure that it was Llewellyn, or maybe Osborne. He couldn’t remember how he labeled their numbers in his address book. He gave the phone a look of contempt before pressing the ignore option on the keypad. Steve didn’t owe Downing Street anything now.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unfinished fill I started on the meme inspired by the drabble. (bits of the drabble are kind of worked into this)

They were his three lieutenants: George, Steve and most recently Andy. They could help David balance the weight that he carries from being leader and now Prime Minister. Then Andy lies and then Andy leaves. David has to re-calibrate but the responsibility is still manageable with Steve and George. Then Steve decides it is worth it to pick a fight with the Civil Service and in effect, picks a fight with him and George as well. 

Steve claims he doesn't know who any of them are now. The heady rush of power corrupting who they all were. David tells him nothing has changed. Steve laughs at him, but it isn't a friendly laugh and is accompanied with a cynical stare. His eyes look at David with disappointment and that spark of something that made Steve click with him is no longer there. Weeks later, Steve resigns. David wishes him the best, but his heart isn't really into it. Steve leaves in a flurry of vicious briefings against his ideas and fashion sense and condemns David for not being radical enough.

The Olympics come and they don't provide David the bump he wished for. The non-issue of replacing George is raised but nothing comes of it. George will stay; he would fall on his sword if he knew if would help David. He doesn't talk to Steve for months until George brings up that he may be able to help write a compelling conference speech for David. With reluctance, David calls and calls. In the end, David finds it humorous that Rachel is the one to put him in touch with Steve. I'll think about it. is the half-hearted response David gets for his seemingly generous overtones. Fuck the short bastard anyway. He'll manage without. 

The papers catch wind of Steve's return for the party conference. And he did agree to help, but Steve's contributions were feeble at best. They're saying he'll be back at Downing Street in no time. He won't. Steve confirmed as much when David emailed him a rough draft of the speech. David's no longer important enough to be the main reason for Steve's temporary visit. He came back for Rohan's wedding. David's pathetic speech took a back seat. He delivers it, in front of his party, surrounded by George and those who still support him. Never without company and yet strangely alone. 

George always has the best recommendations for vacations. Yet David feels like his latest suggestion is more a plot to get him in touch with Steve again. La Jolla. Southern California. San Diego is six hours south of Palo Alto. You won't see him, unless you want to. George persuades and Sam thinks it is a brilliant idea. But Sam was always the one into the trendy places.

+++

Twenty years of friendship ended in May 2010. Rachel insists that David began shutting Steve out when he chose her over him. Steve knows that is how it is with Samantha. He doesn’t think David followed that line of thinking. Sure there were occasional skirmishes with Coulson and Osborne. And all right he really wasn’t that fond of Coulson and was glad to see the backside of him, but he and Osborne always had David’s interest in mind even if they approached issues from opposing ends. The papers loved to portray them as bitter rivals for David’s attention when they did get along a lot better than anyone would suspect.

David ignores him, being less tolerant of Steve’s unique ideas. George gives the pretence that he’s at least listening before dashing off to meet some foreign dignitary. Surprisingly George tries to make an effort to get Steve to reconsider the sabbatical. He laughs because he can’t believe for one second that he’s as indispensable as George is making him out to be. David won’t be lost without him. He hasn’t needed Steve around for a while now. They had a good run while it lasted.

Steve doesn’t know why he lets Rohan and George convince him to write a catchy snippet or two for David’s speech. He is there but not really. The weddings of his protégé and his friend distracted most of Steve's attention away from preparing for the conference. When he did see David they had this invisible wall up between them. He wonders when it became so difficult to talk to this person who he thought was his oldest friend. After conference he let the silence build between them again. Stanford, his students and his research were waiting for him. His restaurant plans created a buzz in London. Maybe now Steve could get the clean break he wasn’t aware he wanted. 

But then one Saturday his mobile buzzed against the granite counter top. Steve was already running late for the morning markets. He had hoped to get there early since he wanted to buy locally raised, organically fed chicken breasts for his chicken paprikash recipe. Usually he would have answered after the first ring. The caller ID on his phone indicated Osborne was calling. Steve gave the phone a look of contempt, feeling like he didn’t owe Downing Street anything now. He was going to press ignore call before answering. The Camerons were planning on vacationing outside of San Diego is the information George relays to him and what the fuck is Steve supposed to do with that. 

San Diego is six hours south of Palo Alto. You won't see him, unless you want to. George says trying to ease Steve into the prospect of visiting with his erstwhile friend.


End file.
